In northern climes, the sap from trees, such as maple trees, is harvested in the springtime and made into edible fluids and substances. Different types of taps and spouts are used to harvest the sap from the tree.
In larger operations, multiple trees are tapped and a sap-collection circuit is formed by running tubing between each tap and a central sap-collecting location. The productivity of such operations depends in part on the tubing remaining on the tap throughout the sap-collecting season. When a tube comes off its tap, the sap from that tree is not harvested and is essentially wasted. In large operations where many trees are tapped, it can be difficult for an operator to locate the tubes which become separated from their taps. This can result in a significant amount of sap not being collected.
Tubes can come off their taps for a variety of reasons. One common reason is that the tubes rotate about the exterior of the tap and slip off the tap. This rotation of the tubes can be caused by handling, movements in the tubing, the elements, negative pressure in the sap-collecting circuit, etc.